Gaza News Live: Israel retrieves Thai hostage's body; Gaza health ministry reports 95 killed in recent offensive

Israel announced on Saturday the retrieval of the body of Nattapong Pinta, a Thai agricultural worker who was abducted into the Gaza Strip during the Hamas-led attack, AP said in a report. Concurrently, Israel's military offensive in Gaza continued, with Gaza's health ministry reporting that at least 95 people were killed in the territory over the past 24 hours. Reports from Gaza also indicated that some of those killed had been attempting to get food aid.

Hamas would prefer to continue the war in Gaza rather than agree to a truce that is not permanent, as its leadership reportedly estimates that surrendering to Israel under current conditions would lead to their political collapse, Haaretz said in a report. This reported stance is set against a backdrop of ongoing truce negotiations and discussions about Gaza's post-war governance, with Hamas allegedly concerned about being politically sidelined or dismantled if they accept terms perceived as surrender without guarantees for a permanent end to hostilities and Israeli withdrawal.

Six Palestinian teenagers have been selected to represent Palestine at the International Mathematics Olympiad in Australia this July, but their participation is uncertain due to difficulties in leaving Gaza and the West Bank, The Guardian says in a report. The situation is compounded by calls for the International Mathematics Olympiad organizers to suspend Israel from the competition. The opportunity is described as potentially "life-changing" for the students.

Six Palestinians were killed by Israeli gunfire near an aid distribution site in Gaza, according to Hamas officials, BBC says in a report. This incident reportedly occurred in an area that has previously witnessed casualties during aid deliveries.

Thailand’s foreign ministry confirmed on Saturday the death of Nattapong Pinta, who was the last Thai hostage remaining in Gaza after being abducted by Hamas militants during the October 7, 2023, attack, AP says in a report. Pinta was one of 31 Thai nationals taken hostage during the events that initiated the current conflict. The ministry also stated that the bodies of two other deceased Thai nationals have yet to be retrieved from Gaza.

Tens of thousands of demonstrators marched through Rome on Saturday calling for an immediate end to the war in Gaza, AP said in a report. The protest, organized by Italy's main opposition parties, accused the right-wing government of being too silent on the conflict. Demonstrators carried banners such as “Stop the massacre, stop complicity!” and waved Palestinian, rainbow, and political party flags during the peaceful march through the city center.

The families of three Israel Defense Forces (IDF) soldiers, identified as Omar Van Gelder, Lior Steinberg, and Alon Farkas, who were killed in Gaza this week, have consented to the donation of their organs, The Jerusalem Post said in a report. These organs are intended for use in transplant procedures.

The Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) believe they have located the body of Hamas leader Muhammad Sinwar, who was reportedly killed in a May 2025 strike, within a tunnel system underneath a hospital in Gaza, Times of Israel said in a report. Concurrently, Hamas has issued a warning that the Israeli army is operating in an area where they claim hostage Matan Zangauker is being held. Additionally, there are reports of 12 people killed in a tent camp in Khan Younis and another six individuals killed near an aid distribution site in Gaza.

Israeli airstrikes in Gaza resulted in the deaths of 45 people, according to local medics, and the Israeli military retrieved the body of a Thai hostage, Nattapong Pinta, who had been held in Gaza since Hamas's October 7, 2023 attack, Reuters said in a report. Israeli Defence Minister Israel Katz announced the retrieval on Saturday, stating Pinta's body had been held by the Palestinian militant group Mujahedeen Brigades.

Dawn French has apologised for posting a 'one-sided' video concerning Gaza, BBC says in a report. This apology followed a backlash from critics who accused her of appearing to 'mock' the 7 October 2023 attack on Israel, an event which occurred in the past.

The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) recently retrieved the bodies of three slain hostages from Gaza, who were being held by the Palestinian Mujahideen Brigades, a small, independent militant faction distinct from larger groups like Hamas, Haaretz said in a report. This development, an outcome of IDF military operations and intelligence, indicates that assets related to the October 7th attack, including captives or their remains, may have been distributed among various groups in Gaza, not exclusively held by Hamas. The retrieval provides a tragic confirmation for the families involved and underscores the ongoing efforts to locate and bring back all hostages, whether alive or deceased.

Canadian mother Naomi Gal is creating illustrations of individuals killed and taken captive during the October 7, 2023, Hamas attack, an initiative she began to personally connect with the tragedy and which now aims to draw wider attention to the hostages' plight and reportedly brings solace to their families, according to a report in Times of Israel. Her artwork serves to keep the focus on those affected by the attack, which is linked to the ongoing situation in Gaza and the efforts to secure the release of hostages.

Families of hostages held in Gaza are voicing strong opposition to proposals for a "partial deal"—one that would not secure the release of all captives—ahead of their regular weekly protest rallies, Times of Israel said in a report. Some family members accuse Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu of prioritizing his political standing over ending the conflict and ensuring the return of all hostages. These actions highlight the significant domestic pressure on the Israeli government regarding its war aims and the complex, ongoing negotiations for a potential ceasefire and comprehensive hostage exchange.

Israeli military evacuation orders issued near Nasser Hospital in Khan Younis, southern Gaza, have prompted dire warnings from officials and Doctors Without Borders that the major medical facility may be forced to shut down, Haaretz said in a report. The aid organization highlighted the critical situation, stating that "nothing can come in or out," severely impacting one of the largest remaining hospitals in the region amidst ongoing Israeli military operations.

The Israeli military has retrieved the body of Thai hostage Nattapong Pinta from Gaza, who was seized during the Hamas-led 7 October 2023 attack and subsequently killed, according to a report in The Guardian. Israeli Defence Minister Israel Katz announced that Pinta's body was recovered from the Rafah area in southern Gaza, where it was held by the Palestinian militant group Mujahideen Brigades, and his family in Thailand has been notified.

Israel announced on Saturday the retrieval of the body of Thai citizen Nattapong Pinta, who was kidnapped into Gaza on October 7, 2023, and killed in captivity near the start of the war, AP says in a report. The Prime Minister’s office stated Pinta was taken from Kibbutz Nir Oz and his body was returned to Israel in a special military operation. The retrieval comes as Israel continues its military offensive across Gaza, which resulted in at least 22 deaths overnight, according to health officials.

Israeli embassy spokesperson Guy Nir provided an explanation of how humanitarian aid is distributed in Gaza, detailing the processes involved in what the report terms the "US-Israel Aid Distribution Model," NDTV said in a report. Nir's rundown occurred in the context of what the source article describes as a region facing "near-total devastation" following Hamas's multi-frontal attack on Israel on October 7, 2023, and focused on the current operational logistics of aid delivery.

Parents in Gaza are encountering increasing difficulties feeding their children, with the situation becoming even harder than previously documented as Israeli restrictions continue to keep out most humanitarian aid, exacerbating widespread malnutrition, The New York Times said in a report. The struggle to keep malnourished children alive is a severe consequence of these limitations on aid access.

Israeli forces have retrieved the body of a Thai citizen from Gaza, who was among those kidnapped during the attacks on October 7, 2023, and was later killed while in captivity, Haaretz said in a report. The retrieval operation, occurring on what was described as day 610 of the conflict, brings a somber conclusion for one of the foreign nationals taken hostage.

Aid distribution in Gaza has been suspended due to severe overcrowding, a situation occurring as the Eid holiday is observed, Reuters said in a report. This development comes as Israel's latest military offensive in the region continues, which reportedly followed the breakdown of previous negotiations.